Priming-based search and discovery of content

ABSTRACT

A method, a device, and a non-transitory storage medium are described in which a priming-based search and discovery service for contents uses a weighted graph that stores metadata pertaining to the contents, activation values, threshold values, and a distance parameter that limits the search space relative to primed nodes of the weighted graph that are relevant to search terms.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/798,565 filed on Oct. 31, 2017, the disclosure of which ishereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

A content network may include various network devices that storeprograms, allow users to search for programs, and recommend programs tousers. For example, the content network may include search and discoverysystems that search and identify contents that may be of interest to theusers based on their search criteria.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary environment in whichexemplary embodiments of a priming-based search and discovery servicemay be implemented;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary data structure that may beused to store an exemplary embodiment of content metadata;

FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating an exemplary data structure that maybe used to store an exemplary embodiment of user mind activationinformation;

FIGS. 3B and 3C are diagrams illustrating an exemplary process of thepriming-based search and discovery service;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary process of thepriming-based search and discovery service based on a distanceparameter;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating another exemplary process ofthe priming-based search and discovery service;

FIG. 5C is a diagram illustrating an exemplary data structure that maybe used to store an exemplary embodiment of user center of priminginformation;

FIGS. 6A-6E are diagrams illustrating an exemplary process of thepriming-based search and discovery service according to an exemplaryscenario;

FIG. 6F is a diagram illustrating exemplary content metadata accordingto another exemplary scenario;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating exemplary components of a device thatmay correspond to one or more of the devices illustrated and describedherein;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are flow diagrams illustrating an exemplary process ofan exemplary embodiment of the priming-based search and discoveryservice based on activation threshold-based priming; and

FIGS. 9A and 9B are flow diagrams illustrating another exemplary processof an exemplary embodiment of the priming-based search and discoveryservice based on content or entity-based priming.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings.The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the sameor similar elements. Also, the following detailed description does notlimit the invention.

Given the expansive nature of available contents for users to consume,service providers are confronted with various technological problems.For example, the search space within which users may search and discovercontents of interest may be many times more massive than the contentsitself when metadata of the contents is used as criteria to search anddiscover contents. As a consequence, the amount of time to searchthrough the metadata, identify contents, limit the number of contentsthat may be of interest to the user, and present a search result withina time period that is tolerable to the user can be problematic.

In the study of human memory and behavior, various theories regardingmultiple memory systems have been identified. One form of memory effectis priming, which is a type of non-conscious or implicit memory effectin that it can occur independently of any conscious or explicitrecollection of a previous encounter with a stimulus. For example,exposure to one stimulus influences the response to another stimulus,such as the word “nurse” is more likely to be guessed by a person for aword completion puzzle “_u_e” when the person has been previously primedwith the words “doctor” and “hospital.” As a corollary, if a user hasbeen using search terms, such as “doctor” or “hospital,” the user may bemore likely to subsequently use the search term “nurse” rather than“purse.”

According to exemplary embodiments, a priming-based search and discoveryservice is described. According to exemplary embodiments, thepriming-based search and discovery service is provided by a search anddiscovery system that includes logic to search and discovery contentsbased on priming. According to an exemplary embodiment, the search anddiscovery system provides the priming-based search and discovery servicebased on activation threshold-based priming. According to such anembodiment, the search and discovery system uses content metadata, usermind activation information, and a spreading activation function. Theuser mind activation information may indicate which instances of thecontent metadata are primed and to what degree at a given time inrelation to a user based on the search terms used by the user. Thespreading activation function may calculate the degree of priming andwhether the instance of content metadata is presented in a searchresult. Given the interactive nature between the user and the search anddiscovery system that occurs, and the time element, the degree ofpriming for a given instance of content metadata may change over time.For example, the spreading activation function may include logic thatcalculates activation values and deactivation values (e.g., decayvalues) relative to instances of the content metadata. According to anexemplary embodiment, the search and discovery system limits the searchspace based on one or multiple parameter values, as described herein.

According to another exemplary embodiment, the search and discoverysystem provides the priming-based search and discovery service based ona context or entity-based priming. According to such an exemplary, thesearch and discovery system uses content metadata, user center ofpriming information, and a center of priming function. The user centerof priming information may indicate an instance of the content metadatathat is the center of priming. The center of priming function maycalculate the center of priming. The center of priming may change overtime based on the search terms received from the user. According to anexemplary embodiment, the search and discovery system limits the searchspace based on one or multiple parameter values, as described herein.

In view of the foregoing, the priming-based search and discovery servicemay improve the search and discovery of content by limiting the searchspace using the functions that select primed instances of contentmetadata, as described herein. For example, the search and discoverysystem searches, identifies, and selects only contents that representwhat is in the user's mind at the moment. Additionally, thepriming-based search and discovery service may reduce search anddiscovery time, reduce utilization of processing resources (e.g.,processor, memory, etc.), and present candidate contents to a user forreview and selection more quickly than other search and discoverysystems.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary environment 100 in whichan exemplary embodiment of the priming-based search and discoveryservice may be implemented. As illustrated, environment 100 includes acontent network 105 and a network 140. Content network 105 includes acontent metadata device 110, a search and discovery device 115, and auser profile device 120. According to other embodiments, environment 100may include additional networks, fewer networks, and/or different typesof networks than those illustrated and described herein. Environment 100also includes an end device 150, which may be operated by a user 160.

The number and arrangement of network devices in content network 105,and the number of end devices 150 are exemplary. According to otherembodiments, environment 100 may include additional devices, fewerdevices, and/or differently arranged devices, than those illustrated inFIG. 1. For example, a single device in FIG. 1 may be implemented asmultiple devices and/or multiple devices may be implemented as a singledevice. A network device may be implemented according to a centralizedcomputing architecture, a distributed computing architecture, or a cloudcomputing architecture (e.g., an elastic cloud, a private cloud, apublic cloud, etc.). Additionally, a network device may be implementedaccording to one or multiple network architectures (e.g., a clientdevice, a server device, a peer device, a proxy device, a cloud device,a virtualized function, etc). The number and the type of network devicesillustrated in environment 100 are exemplary.

Environment 100 includes communication links between the networks andbetween the network devices. Environment 100 may be implemented toinclude wired, optical, and/or wireless communication links among thedevices and the networks illustrated. A communicative connection via acommunication link may be direct or indirect. For example, an indirectcommunicative connection may involve an intermediary device and/or anintermediary network not illustrated in FIG. 1. The number and thearrangement of communication links illustrated in environment 100 areexemplary.

Content network 105 includes a network that provides access to and useof a content service. Generally, content network 105 may be implementedas a satellite-based network, a terrestrial-based network, or acombination thereof. Content network 105 may be implemented todistribute contents using various technologies, such as an opticalarchitecture, a coaxial cable architecture, an Internet Protocol (IP) TVarchitecture, a digital subscriber line (DSL) architecture, a wirelessarchitecture, and/or an Internet-based architecture. Depending on thearchitecture implemented, content network 105 may include various typesof network devices that contribute to the access and use of the contentservice by users.

According to an exemplary embodiment, content network 105 includesnetwork devices that provide the priming-based search and discoveryservice, as described herein. According to an exemplary embodiment, thepriming-based search and discovery service is provided based on contentmetadata device 110, search and discovery device 115, and user profiledevice 115.

Content metadata device 110 includes a network device that stores andmanages metadata of contents. According to an exemplary embodiment, thecontents may be audio and visual contents, such as, for example, movies,television shows, and the like. According to other exemplaryembodiments, contents may include audio content, such as, for example,music, and/or other forms of content (e.g., text, multimedia, etc.).Content metadata device 110 may be implemented to include a mass storagedevice. Content metadata device 110 may include logic that providesvarious storage-related functions, such as, add, delete, update, etc.,the metadata. Content metadata device 110 may include logic thatperforms a query process. For example, content metadata device 110 mayreceive a query request from search and discover device 115, generate aquery response, and transmit the response to search and discovery device115. According to other exemplary embodiments, content metadata device110 may not include logic that performs the query process.

The metadata may include, for example, data indicating a title of acontent, a genre and/or a sub-genre of the content, cast and crewinformation, storyline information (e.g., plot summary, synopsis,tagline, etc.), a movie rating or a television rating (e.g., R, PG-13,TV 14, etc.), a date of release, a language, a runtime, a video format(e.g., 4K, HD, 3D, etc.), an audio format (e.g., stereo, Dolby Surround7.1, etc.), filming location information, company credit information(e.g., production company, distributor, etc.), rating (e.g., user,critic, etc.), review (e.g., user, critic, etc.) and/or otherinformation that pertain to the content (e.g., an image, a videotrailer, web site address, etc.). According to an exemplary embodiment,content metadata device 110 may store the metadata in a graph. Accordingto other exemplary embodiments, content metadata device 110 may storethe metadata in other types of data structures or mass storageinformation entities (e.g., a database, etc.). A further description ofthe metadata is described below.

Search and discovery device 115 includes a network device that managesthe priming-based search and discovery service. Search and discoverydevice 115 includes logic that performs search and discovery of contentsbased on the information stored in content metadata device 110, userprofile device 120, and user input (e.g., search terms for content).According to an exemplary embodiment, search and discovery device 115provides a user interface that obtains user inputs (e.g., search terms)and provides search results to users that indicate one or multiplecontents. According to various exemplary embodiments, search anddiscovery device 115 includes logic that provides activationthreshold-based priming, a context or entity-based priming, or both, ofthe priming-based search and discovery service.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the activation threshold-basedpriming, search and discovery device 115 includes logic that provides aspreading activation function. According to an exemplary implementation,the spreading activation function may be implemented based on thefollowing exemplary expressions:A[j]=(A[j]+A[i]*W[i,j])*D if j∈Set node i  (1)A[j]=A[j]*D if j∉Set node i  (2)According to such an exemplary implementation, the parameter A[i]indicates an activation value associated with node “i”, and theparameter A[j] indicates an activation value associated with node “j”.The parameter W[i,j] indicates a weighted value associated with an edgebetween node “i” and node “j”, and is further described in relation toFIG. 2 and elsewhere. The parameter “D” indicates a decay factor and maybe assigned a value within a real number range (e.g., [0.0 . . . 1.0]).The parameters A[i] and A[j] to the right of the equal sign inexpression (1), and the parameter A[j] to the right of the equal sign inexpression (2) may indicate the current activation value, whereas theparameters A[j] to the left of the equal signs in both expressions (1)and (2) may indicate the newly calculated activation value. In thisregard, the parameters A[i] and A[j] are time-based.

According to an exemplary implementation, if A[j] is higher than afiring threshold “F”, then A[j] is included in a search result. Forexample, the parameter “F” may be assigned a value within a real numberrange (e.g., [0.0 . . . 1.0]) or other configurable numerical range.According to another exemplary implementation, a distance parameter “R”may define a distance between node “i” and node “j”, where j∈Set node“i” if Distance (i,j)<R, such that when this condition is satisfied,expression (1) is used, else expression (2). As an example, R mayindicate a maximum hop count between the two nodes (i.e., node “i” andnode “j”). Depending on whether the hop count between node “i” and node“j” is less than the hop count of value R, a binary choice betweenexpression (1) or expression (2) is provided. By way of further example,as illustrated in FIG. 4, if R=2, then nodes that are within 1 hop countfrom node 6 (indicated by the circle) and there is an edged-path betweenthe node and node 6, expression (1) may be used. Otherwise, when both ofthese conditions are not satisfied, expression (2) may be used tocalculate the activation value of the node. Based on the combination ofthese criteria, the search space within the metadata (e.g., graph 200)and utilization of processing resources may be minimized to obtain asearch result. Additionally, the combination of these criteria attunesthe search toward contents that may be more aligned to the interest ofthe user at the time in view of the primed nodes and their correspondingactivation values.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the context or entity-basedpriming, search and discovery device 115 includes logic that provides acenter of priming function. According to an exemplary implementation,the center of priming function may be implemented based on the followingexemplary expression:C ₁ =S(C ₀)=ArgMax(ActivationValueFunction(C ₀,Phrase))  (3),in which expression (1) is used to calculate the activation value forall nodes “i” that are within parameter “R” of the original center ofpriming C₀. That is, the ActivationValueFunction of expression (3)corresponds to expression (1). The new center of priming is C₁. Forexample, referring to FIG. 5A, the center of priming function may selecta node C₀ that has a maximum activation value, from among other nodes,based on expression (3). In FIG. 5A, a center of priming node 505, whichis labeled with a “C”, is illustrated. According to an exemplaryimplementation, the activation values of nodes “j” that are connected tocenter of priming node 505 and satisfied the value R (e.g., a hop countof 2) may be calculated based on the following exemplary expressions:A[j]=(A[j]+A[i]*W[i,j]*RelevanceScore(Phrase,j)) if j∈Set node “i”  (4)A[j]=0 if j Set node “i”  (5)

According to such an exemplary implementation, the parameter A[i]indicates an activation value associated with node “i”, and theparameter A[j] indicates an activation value associated with node “j”.The parameter W[i,j] indicates a weighted value associated with an edgebetween node “i” and node “j”, and is further described in relation toFIG. 2 and elsewhere. The function RelevanceScore(Phrase, j) is the userand context independent set of results for a given phrase (e.g., searchterm) relative to node “j”. The parameters A[i] and A[j] to the right ofthe equal sign in expression (4), and the parameter A[j] to the right ofthe equal sign in expression (5) may indicate the current activationvalue, whereas the parameters A[j] to the left of the equal signs inboth expressions (4) and (5) may indicate the newly calculatedactivation value. In this regard, the parameters A[i] and A[j] aretime-based.

Nodes “j” are illustrated in FIG. 5A by way of a hatch pattern.Referring to FIG. 5B, subsequent to receiving a second search term fromthe user, the center of priming function may select a node C₁ that has amaximum activation value, from among other nodes, based on expression(3). In FIG. 5B, a center of priming node 510, which is labeled with a“C”, is illustrated. The activation values of nodes “j” that areconnected to center of priming node 510 and satisfied the value R (e.g.,a hop count of 2) may be calculated based on expression (4). Nodes “j”are illustrated in FIG. 5B by way of a hatch pattern.

FIG. 5C is a diagram illustrating an exemplary implementation in whichuser center of priming information may be stored. For example, the usercenter of priming information may be stored in a list 520. List 520 mayinclude a center node identifier 530 that identifies a center of primingnode that is primed in the user's mind at a given time. The center ofpriming nodes and corresponding properties included in the user centerof priming information of a user typically include a subset of the allthe nodes and corresponding properties included in the metadata (e.g.,graph 200). During a search process (e.g., as the user provides a searchterm to be used to conduct a search), nodes that are selected to becenter of priming nodes may be included in the user center of priminginformation.

The user center of priming information may indicate multiple centers ofpriming at any given time and/or multiple contexts. The user center ofpriming information may also be implemented as a multi-level primingdata structure. For example, the user center of priming information of auser may implemented in a multi-level priming hierarchy (e.g., ahierarchical tree) in which the user has a tree of centers of priming.During a search and discovery process, the search and discovery systemmay jump to any center of priming of the multi-level priming hierarchywhich allows the user to traverse different sub-graphs of metadata andcorresponding discovery of different contents that match the user'sinterest at any given time. Additionally, different users and userprofiles may have different centers of priming that vary their contextin the metadata, which may personalize their content discovery based ontheir traversal through the metadata.

User profile device 120 includes a network device that stores userprofile information pertaining to users of the content service. Forexample, the user profile information may include user mind activationinformation of a user, which supports the activation threshold-basedpriming of the search and discovery service, as described herein. Theuser profile information may include user center of priming informationof the user, which supports the context or entity-based priming of thesearch and discovery service, as described herein.

The user profile information may include other types of information. Forexample, the user profile information may include historical informationpertaining to the user, such as information pertaining to previoussearches (e.g., search terms, selections of candidate contents in searchresults, and/or other forms of navigation tracking), and contentsviewed. The user profile information may also include user groupinformation. The user group information may indicates a user group towhich the user belongs based on criteria associated with the use of thecontent service that is in common with or similar to other users of thecontent service. As described further below, the user group informationmay be used to prime metadata. Additionally, for example, the userprofile information may include demographic information of the user, auser identifier of the user, and user preference information. Forexample, the user may set various parameter values pertaining to thepriming-based discovery service, as described herein, and/or indicate apreference between the activation threshold-based priming and thecontext or entity-based priming.

Although not illustrated, content network 105 may include other types ofnetwork devices that provide various content services, such as a contentprocessing device (e.g., transcoding, encryption, etc.), a digitalrights management device, a licensing device, a login device (e.g.,authentication, authorization, etc.), a billing device, and a contentserver device.

Network 140 includes one or multiple networks of one or multiple types.For example, network 140 may be implemented to include a terrestrialnetwork, a content delivery network, a wireless network, a wirednetwork, an optical network, a radio access network, a core network, apacket network, an Internet Protocol (IP) network, the Internet, theWorld Wide Web, a private network, a public network, a televisiondistribution network, a streaming network, a mobile network, and/orother type of network that provides access to content network 105.

User device 150 includes a device that has computational andcommunication capabilities. User device 150 may be implemented as amobile device, a portable device, or a stationary device. By way offurther example, user device 150 may be implemented as a smartphone, apersonal digital assistant, a tablet, a netbook, a phablet, a wearabledevice, a set top box, an infotainment system in a vehicle, a smarttelevision, a game system, a music playing system, a computer (e.g., adesktop, a laptop, etc.), or some other type of user device. Accordingto various exemplary embodiments, user device 150 may be configured toexecute various types of software (e.g., applications, programs, etc.).The number and the types of software may vary among user devices 150.According to an exemplary embodiment, user device 150 includes softwarethat provides access to and use of the content service, which includesthe priming-based search and discovery service, as described herein. Forexample, the software may be implemented as a browser, a mobileapplication, or other type of client application.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary implementation in whichthe metadata may be stored. For example, the metadata may be stored in agraph 200. For example, graph 200 may be implemented as a weightedgraph. As illustrated, graph 200 includes nodes or vertices (illustratedas circles) that may be connected to other nodes via edges (illustratedas lines). According to an exemplary embodiment, a node may indicate aproperty pertaining to a content. For example, the node may indicate aninstance of metadata of the content, such as a title of a movie, a nameof a person, or some other type of concept or tag that pertains to andcan be associated with the content. According to an exemplaryembodiment, an edge indicates a relationship between to two nodes thatare directly connected. According to an exemplary embodiment, the edgeis weighted. For example, the edge is assigned a weight that indicates astrength of linkage, correlation, and/or similarity, between the twonodes based on the properties of each node. By way of example, asillustrated in FIG. 2, a weight between a node “i” and a node “j” mayhave a weighted value of W(i,j). According to an exemplary embodiment,when graph 200 may be implemented as an undirected weighted graph, anedge may be assigned a single weighted value. According to otherexemplary embodiments, when graph 200 may be implemented as a directedgraph, each directed edge between two nodes may have a weighted value,which may be the same value or a different value.

As previously described, given the massive number of instances ofmetadata that may be stored in relation to contents, the number andarrangement of nodes illustrated in FIG. 2 is exemplary, as well as thenumber and arrangement of the edges. Additionally, the type of graphsdiscussed in which the metadata may be stored is merely exemplary.According to other exemplary embodiments, other types of graphs (e.g., amultilevel graph, a hierarchical graph, etc.) may be used to store themetadata in support of the priming-based search and discovery service.Additionally, as previously described, according to still otherexemplary embodiments, the metadata may be stored in a structure or anentity different from a graph (e.g., a database, a graph database, atable, or other type of data structure and/or information base).

FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating an exemplary implementation in whichuser mind activation information may be stored. For example, the usermind activation information may be stored in a list 300. List 300 mayinclude a node identifier 305 that correlates to a weight 310. The usermind activation information may indicate how much the property of a nodeis primed in the user's mind at a given time in which node identifier305 indicates the node and/or the corresponding property, and weight 310indicates an activation weighted value, which represents a degree ofpriming, that is correlated to the node/property.

The nodes and corresponding properties included in the user mindactivation information of a user typically include a subset of the allthe nodes and corresponding properties included in the metadata (e.g.,graph 200). According to an exemplary embodiment, the activationweighted values for all nodes in the graph are initially assigned anactivation weighted value of 0 for a user. During a search process(e.g., as the user provides a search term to be used to conduct asearch), nodes that are primed based on the search term may be includedin the user mind activation information along with their correspondingactivation weighted values (e.g., greater than 0). FIGS. 3B and 3Cillustrate this process. For example, referring to FIG. 3B, a graph thatstores metadata is illustrated in which the nodes have been numbered forpurposes of discussion. According to an exemplary scenario, nodes 1-15may have initial activation weighted values of 0. Thereafter, a user maybegin a search and provide a search term. Referring to FIG. 3C, based onthe search term and a spreading activation function, which includeslogic that calculates activation weighted values, nodes 2, 3, 6, 7, 8,11, 13, and 14, may have activation weighted values greater than 0.According to this example, nodes 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13, and 14 may beincluded in list 300, along with their activation weighted values.According to this example, the range of activation weighted values isbetween 0 and 1. According to another exemplary embodiment, a nodeselected to be included in the user mind activation information may be anode whose activation weighted value is greater than a threshold value(e.g., a value greater than 0). The activation weighted values describedin relation to FIG. 3C are exemplary. According to other exemplaryimplementations, the activation weighted values may have differentvalues and/or values within a different range.

According to other exemplary embodiments, certain nodes may bepre-primed with activation weighted values greater than 0, before asearch is performed by the user, based on various criteria. For example,the criteria may include historical searches performed by the user,demographic information pertaining to the user, and/or a grouping of theuser with other users that may share a commonality (e.g.,demographically, common search terms, the same or similar contentsviewed, the same or similar ratings of contents viewed, etc.).

FIGS. 6A-6E are diagrams illustrating an exemplary process of thepriming-based search and discovery service. It may be assumed that user160 has successfully logged into the content service. Additionally, itmay be assumed that search and discovery device 115 has obtained userprofile information of user 160. According to this exemplary scenario,the user mind activation information of user 160 may be empty, andsearch and discovery device 115 may not initialize the metadata ofcontents. According to other exemplary scenarios, as previouslydescribed, the user mind activation information of user 160 may indicatenodes and activation weights information that may be used to initializethe metadata of contents before a search term is received from user 160.

Referring to FIG. 6A, search and discovery device 115 provides a userinterface 602 that allows user 160 via user device 150 to search forcontents. Subsequent to the presentment of the user interface, searchand discovery device 115 may receive a search term 604 from user 160.For example, the search term may include one or multiple words.Referring to FIG. 6B, search and discovery device 115 may search themetadata of contents 606 stored in content metadata device 110. Forexample, search and discovery device 115 may include logic that attemptsto match (e.g., exactly, best-match) of a word included in the searchterm with instances of metadata associated with the nodes of graph 200.According to this exemplary scenario, search and discovery device 115discovers one or more nodes that match the one or more nodes included inthe search term. Search and discovery device 115 calculates anactivation value for each node that matches the search term 608. Forpurposes of description, each matching node may be considered a node“i”. According to an exemplary implementation, the activation value foreach matching node may be a highest activation value relative to a rangeof possible activation values. For example, when the range of activationvalues is between 0 and 1, a matching node may be assigned an activationvalue of 1.

Referring to FIG. 6C, search and discovery device 115 identifies allnodes “j” based on the R parameter 610. For example, search anddiscovery device 115 may identify all nodes “j” that are connected tonode “i” and are within a maximum distance from node “i”, as previouslydescribed. Search and discovery device 115 may calculate an activationvalue 612 for nodes “j” that satisfy this criteria based on expression(1), and for nodes “j” that do not satisfy this criteria based onexpression (2). Search and discovery device 115 may group nodes “i” andnodes “j”, which satisfy the criteria, in a set 614.

Referring to FIG. 6D, search and discovery device 115 may compare theactivation values associated with the nodes in the set with a resultthreshold value 616. For example, activation values that satisfy theresult threshold value may indicate that those nodes (or titlesassociated with the nodes) are to be included in the search result thatis presented to user 160. On the other hand, activation values that donot satisfy the result threshold value may indicate that those nodes arenot to be included in the search result. Based on the result of thecomparison, search and discovery device 115 may select titles ofcontents based on the nodes in the set that satisfied the resultthreshold value 618.

Referring to FIG. 6E, search and discovery device 115 may compare theactivation values of the nodes in the set to a minimum result thresholdvalue. Those nodes that satisfy the minimum result threshold value, thenode identifier and activation weights may be stored in the user mindactivation information 620. Search and discovery device 115 may presenta search result that includes the selected titles of contents. Searchand discovery device 115 may rank the selected titles of contents basedon their activation values.

As previously described, the priming-based search and discovery ofcontents may be iterative. For example, referring to FIG. 6F, whichillustrates exemplary metadata, and FIGS. 3B, 3C, 4, and 6A-6E, assumeuser 160 uses the search term “adventure” and the unprimed searchresults include action movies and shows, and each of search results,associated actors, and tags (e.g., adventure) may be added to the usermind activation information. Subsequently, user 160 uses the search term“science” and the activation starts from nodes of the previous searchresults. The search and discovery service may identify nodes pertainingto “science fiction”, “science documentaries,” and specific “sciencefiction” movies and actors connected to such contents. Thereafter, user160 uses the search term “Damon” and activation may include a title node“The Martian” and an actor node “Matt Damon.” According to thisexemplary scenario, “The Martian” and “Matt Damon” were readily primeddue to previous searches, and hence the search and discovery service mayalso select a title node “Bourne Identity”, which also featured “MattDamon.”

According to other exemplary embodiments, the process described andillustrated in FIGS. 6A-6E may include additional operations, feweroperations, and/or different operations.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating exemplary components of a device 700that may be included in one or more of the devices described herein. Forexample, device 700 may correspond to components included in networkdevices of content network 105 and user device 150. As illustrated inFIG. 7, device 700 includes a bus 705, a processor 710, a memory/storage715 that stores software 720, a communication interface 725, an input730, and an output 735. According to other embodiments, device 700 mayinclude fewer components, additional components, different components,and/or a different arrangement of components than those illustrated inFIG. 7 and described herein.

Bus 705 includes a path that permits communication among the componentsof device 700. For example, bus 705 may include a system bus, an addressbus, a data bus, and/or a control bus. Bus 705 may also include busdrivers, bus arbiters, bus interfaces, clocks, and so forth.

Processor 710 includes one or multiple processors, microprocessors, dataprocessors, co-processors, application specific integrated circuits(ASICs), controllers, programmable logic devices, chipsets,field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specificinstruction-set processors (ASIPs), system-on-chips (SoCs), centralprocessing units (CPUs) (e.g., one or multiple cores), microcontrollers,and/or some other type of component that interprets and/or executesinstructions and/or data. Processor 710 may be implemented as hardware(e.g., a microprocessor, etc.), a combination of hardware and software(e.g., a SoC, an ASIC, etc.), may include one or multiple memories(e.g., cache, etc.), etc.

Processor 710 may control the overall operation or a portion ofoperation(s) performed by device 700. Processor 710 may perform one ormultiple operations based on an operating system and/or variousapplications or computer programs (e.g., software 720). Processor 710may access instructions from memory/storage 715, from other componentsof device 700, and/or from a source external to device 700 (e.g., anetwork, another device, etc.). Processor 710 may perform an operationand/or a process based on various techniques including, for example,multithreading, parallel processing, pipelining, interleaving, etc.

Memory/storage 715 includes one or multiple memories and/or one ormultiple other types of storage mediums. For example, memory/storage 715may include one or multiple types of memories, such as, random accessmemory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), cache, read onlymemory (ROM), a programmable read only memory (PROM), a static randomaccess memory (SRAM), a single in-line memory module (SIMM), a dualin-line memory module (DIMM), a flash memory, and/or some other type ofmemory. Memory/storage 715 may include a hard disk (e.g., a magneticdisk, an optical disk, a magneto-optic disk, a solid state disk, etc.),a Micro-Electromechanical System (MEMS)-based storage medium, and/or ananotechnology-based storage medium. Memory/storage 715 may includedrives for reading from and writing to the storage medium.

Memory/storage 715 may be external to and/or removable from device 700,such as, for example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) memory stick, adongle, a hard disk, mass storage, off-line storage, or some other typeof storing medium (e.g., a compact disk (CD), a digital versatile disk(DVD), a Blu-Ray disk (BD), etc.). Memory/storage 715 may store data,software, and/or instructions related to the operation of device 700.

Software 720 includes an application or a program that provides afunction and/or a process. As an example, with reference to networkdevices of content network 105, software 720 may include an applicationthat, when executed by processor 710, provides the functions of thepriming-based search and discovery service, as described herein.Software 720 may also include firmware, middleware, microcode, hardwaredescription language (HDL), and/or other form of instruction. Software720 may further include an operating system (OS) (e.g., Windows, Linux,Android, proprietary, etc.).

Communication interface 725 permits device 700 to communicate with otherdevices, networks, systems, and/or the like. Communication interface 725includes one or multiple wireless interfaces and/or wired interfaces.For example, communication interface 725 may include one or multipletransmitters and receivers, or transceivers. Communication interface 725may operate according to a protocol stack and a communication standard.Communication interface 725 may include an antenna. Communicationinterface 725 may include various processing logic or circuitry (e.g.,multiplexing/de-multiplexing, filtering, amplifying, converting, errorcorrection, etc.).

Input 730 permits an input into device 700. For example, input 730 mayinclude a keyboard, a mouse, a display, a touchscreen, a touchlessscreen, a button, a switch, an input port, speech recognition logic,and/or some other type of visual, auditory, tactile, etc., inputcomponent. Output 735 permits an output from device 700. For example,output 735 may include a speaker, a display, a touchscreen, a touchlessscreen, a light, an output port, and/or some other type of visual,auditory, tactile, etc., output component.

Device 700 may perform a process and/or a function, as described herein,in response to processor 710 executing software 720 stored bymemory/storage 715. By way of example, instructions may be read intomemory/storage 715 from another memory/storage 715 (not shown) or readfrom another device (not shown) via communication interface 725. Theinstructions stored by memory/storage 715 cause processor 710 to performa process described herein. Alternatively, for example, according toother implementations, device 700 performs a process described hereinbased on the execution of hardware (processor 710, etc.).

FIGS. 8A and 8B are flow diagrams illustrating an exemplary process 800of an exemplary embodiment of the priming-based search and discoveryservice based on activation threshold-based priming. Process 800 isdirected to a process previously described with respect to FIGS. 2,3A-3C, as well as elsewhere in this description, in which thepriming-based search and discovery service is provided. According to anexemplary embodiment, a network device (e.g., search and discoverydevice 115) performs steps of process 800. For example, processor 710executes software 720 to perform the steps illustrated in FIGS. 8A and8B, and described herein.

According to an exemplary scenario, it may be assumed that user 160 viauser device 150 establishes a session with the content service ofcontent network 105. User 160 may log into the content service byproviding credentials (e.g., username and password) via a userinterface. The content service determines that the credentials arevalid. User 160 may navigate to a user interface of search and discoverydevice 115 via which user 160 may search for contents.

Referring to FIG. 8A, in block 805, user mind activation information maybe initialized. For example, search and discovery device 115 may obtainthe user mind activation information from user profile device 120 basedon account information associated with the logged user 160. According toan exemplary implementation, the user mind activation information (e.g.,list 200) may be empty. According to another exemplary implementation,the user mind activation information may be pre-primed with node andactivation weight information based on a user group to which user 160belongs, as previously described. According to yet another exemplaryimplementation, the user mind activation information may be pre-primedwith node and activation weight information based on historicalinformation associated with only user 160. The metadata of contents(e.g., graph 200) may be initialized based on the user mind activationinformation.

In block 810, a user input may be received. For example, search anddiscovery device 115 may receive a search term via the user interface.The search term may include one or multiple words.

In block 815, metadata of contents may be searched and selected based onthe user input. For example, search and discovery device 115 may matcheach word and/or phrase (e.g., multiple words) with the nodes of themetadata (e.g., graph 200). The matching of a word and/or phrase may bean exact match or best match (e.g., not exact). The nodes of themetadata that match the user input may be considered a node “i” andincluded in a set. According to an exemplary implementation, when theuser mind activation information indicates a node (versus an initializeduser mind activation information that does not indicate a node (e.g., anempty list)), the node included in the user mind activation informationmay be considered a node “i” and included in the set.

In block 820, it may be determined whether a node “j” is connected tothe node “i” and is within a parameter “R” value. For example, for eachnode “i”, search and discovery device 115 may identify each node “j”that is connected to node “i” (e.g., edge) and is within a certaindistance from node “i”. According to an exemplary implementation, the“R” value may indicate a hop count from node to node. According to otherexemplary implementations, the edges between nodes may vary in length(e.g., a length value) and be used to calculate distance relative to the“R” value. According to either of the implementations, search anddiscovery device 115 identifies and selects any node “j” that has adistance that satisfies the “R” value (e.g., <R, ≤R).

When it is determined that the node “j” is not connected to the node “i”and within the parameter “R” value (block 820-NO), an activation valueof the node “j” is decayed (block 825). For example, search anddiscovery device 115 may reduce the activation value associated withnode “j” based on a decay factor value. By way of further example, aspreviously described, search and discovery device 115 may use expression(2) of the spreading activation function to calculate and set theactivation value for node “j” of the metadata.

In block 830, it is determined whether another node “j” and/or anothernode “i” is to be evaluated. For example, search and discovery device115 may determine whether another node “j” is connected to the node “i”based on the set of node(s) “i” that were selected in block 815.Additionally, search and discovery device 115 may determine whetheranother (e.g., different) node “i” of the set of node(s) “i” needs to beevaluated.

When there is another node “j” and/or another node “i” (block 830-YES),then process 800 returns to block 820. When there is not another node“j” and/or another node “i” (block 830-NO), then process proceeds toblock 850 of FIG. 8B.

When it is determined that the node “j” is connected to the node “i” andwithin the parameter “R” value (block 820-YES), an activation value forthe node “j” is calculated (block 835). For example, search anddiscovery device 115 may increase or recalculate the activation valueassociated with node “j”. By way of further example, as previouslydescribed, search and discovery device 115 may use expression (1) of thespreading activation function to calculate and set the activation valuefor node “j” of the metadata.

In block 840, the node “j” is added to the set of node “i.” For example,search and discovery device 115 may add the node “j” to the set ofnode(s) “i”.

In block 845, it is determined whether another node “j” and/or anothernode “i” is to be evaluated. For example, search and discovery device115 may perform an operation similar to that described in block 830.

When there is another node “j” and/or another node “i” (block 845-YES),then process 800 returns to block 820. When there is not another node“j” and/or another node “i” (block 845-NO), then process proceeds toblock 850 of FIG. 8B.

Referring to FIG. 8B, in block 850, only title nodes from the set withan activation value greater than a result threshold value may beselected. For example, search and discovery device 115 may identify onlytitle nodes (e.g., versus other types of metadata instances, such asactor names, crew information, etc.) included in the set. Based on theidentification, search and discovery device 115 may compare theactivation value associated with each title node (e.g., node “i”, node“j”) in the set with the result threshold value. Based on a result ofthe comparison, search and discovery device 115 may determine whetherthe title of the content to which the title node pertains is or is notto be included in a search result. For example, when the activationvalue satisfies the result threshold value, the title of the content isincluded in the search result, and when the activation value does notsatisfy the result threshold value, the title of the content is notincluded in the search result.

In block 855, all nodes included in the set with an activation valuegreater than zero may be added to the user mind activation information.For example, search and discovery device 115 may identify each nodeincluded in the set that has an activation value greater than zero.According to another exemplary implementation, the threshold value maybe a value different from zero. Search and discovery device 115 maystore the node (e.g., instance of metadata) and the activation weight inthe activation user mind information (e.g., list 300).

In block 860, the titles of contents from highest activation value tothe lowest activation value may be ranked. For example, search anddiscovery device 115 may rank the titles of contents, which are includedin the search result, based on their activation values.

In block 865, the ranked titles of contents may be presented to theuser. For example, search and discovery device 115 may present thesearch results to user 160 via the user interface. The search resultsmay include one or more titles of one or more contents that may beordered according to their ranking.

Although FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate an exemplary process 800 of thepriming-based search and discovery service, according to otherembodiments, process 800 may include additional operations, feweroperations, and/or different operations than those illustrated in FIGS.8A and 8B, and described herein. Process 800 may be iterativelyperformed. For example, subsequent to the presentment of the searchresult, user 160 may enter additional or new search terms. Process 800may continue to block 805 or 810. Process 800 may end when user 160exits the content service, selects content to view or download, and/orother user input (or lack thereof) that indicates a search process hasended.

According to various exemplary embodiments, a parameter of thepriming-based search and discovery service may be configured by anadministrator of the service provider or by the user (e.g., user 160).For example, the parameter may include whether or not the metadata isinitialized with the user mind activation information, and a parameterthat indicates the information stored in the user mind activationinformation (e.g., historical information of the user versus user group,etc.). Additionally, or alternatively, the parameter may include thevalue of parameter “R.” Depending on the value of “R”, the search space,time of search, resource utilization, etc., may be increased ordecreased. Additionally, or alternatively, the parameter may include thevalue of the result threshold value. Depending on the value of theresult threshold value, the search results may include additional orfewer titles of contents. Additionally, or alternatively, otherparameters described herein may be configured by the administrator orthe user. As previously described, the configuration of the parameters,by the user, may be stored in user profile information (e.g., as a userpreference).

FIGS. 9A and 9B are flow diagrams illustrating an exemplary process 900of an exemplary embodiment of the priming-based search and discoveryservice based on context or entity-based priming. Process 900 isdirected to a process previously described with respect to FIGS. 2,5A-5C, as well as elsewhere in this description, in which thepriming-based search and discovery service is provided. According to anexemplary embodiment, a network device (e.g., search and discoverydevice 115) performs steps of process 900. For example, processor 710executes software 720 to perform the steps illustrated in FIGS. 9A and9B, and described herein.

According to an exemplary scenario, it may be assumed that user 160 viauser device 150 establishes a session with the content service ofcontent network 105. User 160 may log into the content service byproviding credentials (e.g., username and password) via a userinterface. The content service determines that the credentials arevalid. User 160 may navigate to a user interface of search and discoverydevice 115 via which user 160 may search for contents.

Referring to FIG. 9A, in block 905, user center of priming informationmay be initialized. For example, search and discovery device 115 mayobtain the user center of priming information from user profile device120 based on account information associated with the logged user 160.According to an exemplary implementation, the user center of priminginformation (e.g., list 520) may be empty. According to anotherexemplary implementation, the user center of priming information may bepre-primed with one or multiple nodes based on a user group to whichuser 160 belongs, as previously described. According to yet anotherexemplary implementation, the user center of priming information may bepre-primed with one or multiple nodes based on historical informationassociated with only user 160. The metadata of contents (e.g., graph200) may be initialized based on the user center of priming information.

In block 910, a user input may be received. For example, search anddiscovery device 115 may receive a search term via the user interface.The search term may include one or multiple words.

In block 915, metadata of contents may be searched and selected based onthe user input. For example, search and discovery device 115 may matcheach word and/or phrase (e.g., multiple words) with the nodes of themetadata (e.g., graph 200). The matching of a word and/or phrase may bean exact match or best match (e.g., not exact). The nodes of themetadata that match the user input may be considered node “i”. Accordingto an exemplary implementation, when the user center of priminginformation indicates a node (versus an initialized user center ofpriming information that does not indicate a node (e.g., an emptylist)), the node included in the user center of priming information maybe considered a node “i” and included in the set.

In block 920, it may be determined whether a node “j” is connected tothe node “i” and is within a parameter “R” value. For example, for eachnode “i”, search and discovery device 115 may identify each node “j”that is connected to node “i” (e.g., edge) and is within a certaindistance from node “i”. According to an exemplary implementation, the“R” value may indicate a hop count from node to node. According to otherexemplary implementations, the edges between nodes may vary in length(e.g., a length value) and be used to calculate distance relative to the“R” value. According to either of the implementations, search anddiscovery device 115 identifies and selects any node “j” that has adistance that satisfies the “R” value (e.g., <R, ≤R).

When it is determined that the node “j” is not connected to the node “i”and within the parameter “R” value (block 920-NO), an activation valueof the node “j” is calculated (block 925). For example, search anddiscovery device 115 may set the activation value of the node “j” tozero or other value representing the lowest activation value based onexpression (5).

In block 930, it is determined whether another node “j” and/or anothernode “i” is to be evaluated. For example, search and discovery device115 may determine whether another node “j” is connected to the node “i”based on the set of node(s) “i” that were selected in block 915.Additionally, search and discovery device 115 may determine whetheranother (e.g., different) node “i” of the set of node(s) “i” needs to beevaluated.

When there is another node “j” and/or another node “i” (block 930-YES),then process 900 returns to block 920. When there is not another node“j” and/or another node “i” (block 930-NO), then process proceeds toblock 950 of FIG. 9B.

When it is determined that the node “j” is connected to the node “i” andwithin the parameter “R” value (block 920-YES), an activation value forthe node “j” is calculated (block 935). For example, search anddiscovery device 115 may calculate the activation value associated withnode “j”. By way of further example, as previously described, search anddiscovery device 115 may use expression (4) of the spreading activationfunction to calculate and set the activation value for node “j” of themetadata.

In block 940, the node “j” is added to the set of node “i.” For example,search and discovery device 115 may add the node “j” and activationvalue to the set of node(s) “i”.

In block 945, it is determined whether another node “j” and/or anothernode “i” is to be evaluated. For example, search and discovery device115 may perform an operation similar to that described in block 930.

When there is another node “j” and/or another node “i” (block 945-YES),then process 900 returns to block 920. When there is not another node“j” and/or another node “i” (block 945-NO), then process proceeds toblock 950 of FIG. 9B.

Referring to FIG. 9B, in block 950, a center of priming node may beselected from the set based on a node having a highest activation value.For example, search and discovery device 115 may select the node in theset based on expression (3).

In block 955, the center of priming node may be added to the user centerof priming information. For example, search and discovery device 115 maystore the node (e.g., instance of metadata) in the user center ofpriming information (e.g., list 520).

In block 960, only title nodes from the set may be selected. Forexample, search and discovery device 115 may identify only title nodes(e.g., versus other types of metadata instances, such as actor names,crew information, etc.) included in the set.

In block 965, the titles of contents may be ranked in descending orderof activation. For example, search and discovery device 115 may rank thetitles of contents, which are included in the search result, based ontheir activation values.

In block 970, the ranked titles of contents may be presented to theuser. For example, search and discovery device 115 may present thesearch results to user 160 via the user interface. The search resultsmay include one or more titles of one or more contents that may beordered according to their ranking.

Although FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate an exemplary process 900 of thepriming-based search and discovery service, according to otherembodiments, process 900 may include additional operations, feweroperations, and/or different operations than those illustrated in FIGS.9A and 9B, and described herein. Process 900 may be iterativelyperformed. For example, subsequent to the presentment of the searchresult, user 160 may enter additional or new search terms. Process 900may continue to block 905 or 910. Process 900 may end when user 160exits the content service, selects content to view or download, and/orother user input (or lack thereof) that indicates a search process hasended.

As set forth in this description and illustrated by the drawings,reference is made to “an exemplary embodiment,” “an embodiment,”“embodiments,” etc., which may include a particular feature, structureor characteristic in connection with an embodiment(s). However, the useof the phrase or term “an embodiment,” “embodiments,” etc., in variousplaces in the specification does not necessarily refer to allembodiments described, nor does it necessarily refer to the sameembodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments necessarilymutually exclusive of other embodiment(s). The same applies to the term“implementation,” “implementations,” etc.

The foregoing description of embodiments provides illustration, but isnot intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the preciseform disclosed. Accordingly, modifications to the embodiments describedherein may be possible. For example, various modifications and changesmay be made thereto, and additional embodiments may be implemented,without departing from the broader scope of the invention as set forthin the claims that follow. The description and drawings are accordinglyto be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to be interpreted to includeone or more items. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to beinterpreted as “based, at least in part, on,” unless explicitly statedotherwise. The term “and/or” is intended to be interpreted to includeany and all combinations of one or more of the associated items. Theword “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example.” Anyembodiment or implementation described as “exemplary” is not necessarilyto be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments orimplementations.

In addition, while a series of blocks have been described with regard tothe processes illustrated in FIGS. 8A, 8B, 9A, and 9B, the order of theblocks may be modified according to other embodiments. Further,non-dependent blocks may be performed in parallel. Additionally, otherprocesses described in this description may be modified and/ornon-dependent operations may be performed in parallel.

The embodiments described herein may be implemented in many differentforms of software executed by hardware. For example, a process or afunction may be implemented as “logic,” a “component,” or an “element.”The logic, the component, or the element, may include, for example,hardware (e.g., processor 710, etc.), or a combination of hardware andsoftware (e.g., software 720). The embodiments have been describedwithout reference to the specific software code since the software codecan be designed to implement the embodiments based on the descriptionherein and commercially available software design environments and/orlanguages.

Use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., in theclaims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote anypriority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another, thetemporal order in which acts of a method are performed, the temporalorder in which instructions executed by a device are performed, etc.,but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having acertain name from another element having a same name (but for use of theordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements.

Additionally, embodiments described herein may be implemented as anon-transitory storage medium that stores data and/or information, suchas instructions, program code, data structures, program modules, anapplication, etc. The program code, instructions, application, etc., isreadable and executable by a processor (e.g., processor 710) of adevice. A non-transitory storage medium includes one or more of thestorage mediums described in relation to memory/storage 715.

To the extent the aforementioned embodiments collect, store or employpersonal information provided by individuals, it should be understoodthat such information shall be used in accordance with all applicablelaws concerning protection of personal information. Additionally, thecollection, storage and use of such information may be subject toconsent of the individual to such activity, for example, through wellknown “opt-in” or “opt-out” processes as may be appropriate for thesituation and type of information. Storage and use of personalinformation may be in an appropriately secure manner reflective of thetype of information, for example, through various encryption andanonymization techniques for particularly sensitive information.

No element, act, or instruction described in the present applicationshould be construed as critical or essential to the embodimentsdescribed herein unless explicitly described as such.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: selecting, by a network device, a first set of one or more first nodes of a graph that match a search term received from a user, wherein each node of the graph indicates an instance of metadata pertaining to media contents; calculating, by the network device, one or more first activation values pertaining to the first set that indicate a degree of relevance between the first set and the search term based on a quantified degree to which the one or more first nodes are primed in relation to the user; determining, by the network device, that one or more second nodes of a second set of the graph are connected to the first set and within a maximum threshold distance from the first set; calculating, by the network device, one or more second activation values of the second set, which indicates a degree of relevance between the second set and the search term, wherein the degree of relevance is calculated based on a quantified degree to which the one or more second nodes are primed in relation to the user; comparing, by the network device, the one or more first activation values and the one more second activation values to a minimum threshold value; selecting, by the network device, a title of media content for each node that satisfies the minimum threshold value; and presenting, by the network device to the user, a search result that includes one or more selected titles of the media contents.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the maximum threshold distance includes a maximum hop count value.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculating of the one or more second activation values comprises: calculating, by the network device, the one or more second activation values based on the one or more first activation values, one or more current activation values associated with the one or more second nodes, one or more weighted values associated with one or more edges between the one or more first nodes and the one or more second nodes, and one or more decay factor values.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, by the network device, that one or more third nodes of a third set of the graph are at least one of not connected to the first set or not within a maximum threshold distance from the first set; and calculating, by the network device, one or more third activation values for the third set.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the calculating of the one or more third activation values comprises: calculating, by the network device, the one or more third activation values based on one or more current activation values associated with the third set and one or more decay factor values.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing, by the network device, user mind activation information that includes one or more fourth nodes and one or more fourth activation values pertaining to a previous search by the user; and including, by the network device, the user mind activation information in the first set.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing, by the network device, user mind activation information that includes the one or more first nodes, the one or more first activation values, the one or more second nodes, and the one or more second activation values; and using, by the network device, the user mind activation information to initialize the graph during a search subsequent to the presenting.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the maximum threshold distance is a user preference of the user and has a value set by the user.
 9. A network device comprising: a communication interface; and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to: select a first set of one or more first nodes of a graph that match a search term received from a user, wherein each node of the graph indicates an instance of metadata pertaining to media contents; calculate one or more first activation values pertaining to the first set that indicate a degree of relevance between the first set and the search term based on a quantified degree to which the one or more first nodes are primed in relation to the user; determine that one or more second nodes of a second set of the graph are connected to the first set and within a maximum threshold distance from the first set; calculate one or more second activation values of the second set, which indicates a degree of relevance between the second set and the search term, wherein the degree of relevance is calculated based on a quantified degree to which the one or more second nodes are primed in relation to the user; compare the one or more first activation values and the one more second activation values to a minimum threshold value; select a title of media content for each node that satisfies the minimum threshold value; and present a search result to the user that includes one or more selected titles of the media contents.
 10. The network device of claim 9, wherein the maximum threshold distance includes a maximum hop count value.
 11. The network device of claim 9, wherein, when calculating the one or more second activation values, the processor is further configured to: calculate the one or more second activation values based on the one or more first activation values, one or more current activation values associated with the one or more second nodes, one or more weighted values associated with one or more edges between the one or more first nodes and the one or more second nodes, and one or more decay factor values.
 12. The network device of claim 9, wherein the processor further is configured to: determine that one or more third nodes of a third set of the graph are at least one of not connected to the first set or not within a maximum threshold distance from the first set; and calculate one or more third activation values for the third set.
 13. The network device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to: calculate the one or more third activation values based on one or more current activation values associated with the third set and one or more decay factor values.
 14. The network device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to: store, user mind activation information that includes one or more fourth nodes and one or more fourth activation values pertaining to a previous search by the user; and include the user mind activation information in the first set.
 15. The network device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to: store user mind activation information that includes the one or more first nodes, the one or more first activation values, the one or more second nodes, and the one or more second activation values; and use the user mind activation information to initialize the graph during a search subsequent to the presentment of the search result.
 16. The network device of claim 9, wherein the maximum threshold distance is a user preference of the user and has a value set by the user.
 17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor of a device, which when executed cause the device to: select a first set of one or more first nodes of a graph that match a search term received from a user, wherein each node of the graph indicates an instance of metadata pertaining to media contents; calculate one or more first activation values pertaining to the first set that indicate a degree of relevance between the first set and the search term based on a quantified degree to which the one or more first nodes are primed in relation to the user; determine that one or more second nodes of a second set of the graph are connected to the first set and within a maximum threshold distance from the first set; calculate one or more second activation values of the second set, which indicates a degree of relevance between the second set and the search term, wherein the degree of relevance is calculated based on a quantified degree to which the one or more second nodes are primed in relation to the user; compare the one or more first activation values and the one more second activation values to a minimum threshold value; select a title of media content for each node that satisfies the minimum threshold value; and present a search result to the user that includes one or more selected titles of the media contents.
 18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions further include instructions executable by the processor of the device, which when executed cause the device to: calculate the one or more second activation values based on the one or more first activation values, one or more current activation values associated with the one or more second nodes, one or more weighted values associated with one or more edges between the one or more first nodes and the one or more second nodes, and one or more decay factor values.
 19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions further include instructions executable by the processor of the device, which when executed cause the device to: initialize at least a portion of nodes of the graph with activation values prior to receiving the search term.
 20. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the maximum threshold distance includes a maximum hop count value. 